Twiggy in Cleverley’s

More women are buying proper shoes these days, with Church’s recently relaunching its women’s range. Many’s the time I’ve had my attention drawn by a new pair of shoes in the Church’s window, only to discover they are a women’s design. They just look so slim and elegant.

Anyway. To illustrate the point, here is Twiggy wearing a pair of bespoke spectators from George Cleverley back in the early 1970s. Despite only making shoes for men, Cleverley made an exception for Twiggy. And don’t they look good?

I for one adore a woman who does not feel put off by wearing flats, and I have more than once pondered the woman who so awkwardly shuffles to catch a bus because her shoes, be they heels or otherwise, simply are not designed to stay on the foot. Let’s hope Church’s re-launch inspires customers as well as other manufacturers.

I believe that the problem you observed–women wobbling in their heels–is due not to shoes’ poor design, but more to inexperience on the part of the wearer and/or poor fit. Women’s shoes, even more so than men’s, are not equally forgiving to all foot shapes, and I understand that it can take some time to learn to walk properly in heels.

Personally, I’d rather see a woman trying to look good and missing the mark by wobbling in her heels than a women not trying at all by wearing ugly shoes (which many flats are).